Got to Begin Again
by xXFlowerxChildXx
Summary: Darry on the night of the Curtis' deaths. oneshot


**i don't own anything. **

Darry kicked the ice that surrounded his truck's tires and rubbed his hands for warmth. He banged the windshield wipers loose. The door was frozen shut, but after tugging it for a while, it finally gave. He should have let the car warm up. He knew that.

"Darry! Darry!" Mrs. Curtis yelled, coming down the walkway.

He rolled down the window and smiled. "Yeah, Mom?"

"Darry, give these cookies to Judy, and tell her your father and I say hello," she said.

"Mom, are you sure that Sodapop can watch Pony tonight?"

"Oh, yes. The boy is sixteen. He can handle it." She smiled. "Now, you go have a wonderful time with Judy. You be careful. The roads are slick. You listen to me, Darrel. Slow--"

"I know, Mom. You two be careful, too, and have a good time. I don't want you to think about anyone but yourselves tonight. Tell Sodapop I am watching him." Darry laughed.

"I will," she said, sighing. "Don't leave your tassel on the dash, Darry. It is a symbol of your future. You could have the whole world with that. You should be proud."

"I've been meaning to do that, Mom. I was just waiting to do it this year, because … it's college in the fall. I didn't want to count my chickens before they hatched." He chuckled, hanging it around the rearview mirror.

"Sure. I love you, Darry. Have a nice time." Mrs. Curtis smiled, playfully hitting Darry with her glove.

She wasn't lying when she said the roads were slick. Darry had a hard time staying on them. There was no traffic. Everyone stayed inside during this weather. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis had been planning a night away from the house for a long time, and Mrs. Curtis wasn't going to postpone it because of Oklahoma weather.

"Thank goodness you're here! I thought you might 'a frozen to death out there." Judy laughed, pulling him inside.

**xXx**

Judy was fast asleep, snuggled up to Darry. They were watching a western film on the television, but even Darry was falling asleep. Loud knocking and the lights of a police car flashing interrupted the quiet evening. He laid Judy's head on a pillow and went to answer the door.

"Is there a Darrel Curtis here?" a solemn officer asked.

"Yes, sir. I'm Darrel Curtis."

"Well, Mr. Curtis, I am sorry I have to tell you this, but your parents..." He let out a deep sigh. "But your parents were critically injured in an automobile accident. They are at St. Francis right now."

"Does Soda know?" Darry asked, trying to keep his composure. "Pony--"

"Office Ferrell picked those boys up."

"Well, I better get up there." Darry sighed as he shook hands with the officer.

"Whats going on, baby?" Judy asked rubbing her eyes. "You look like the grim reaper done come after you."

"My parents … Look, Judy, I don't think we should see each other anymore."

"Why? What's going on?" she stammered.

"I have to go," he said, grabbing his coat and walking out the door.

With the worst on his mind, Darry left his high school sweetheart in shock. He drove as fast as he could, not stopping at a single stop sign or light. His mother's words came back to him. _The roads are slick. You listen to me, Darrel._

When he finally reached the hospital, it seemed like no time had passed.

The looks on his brothers' faces were more than Darry could handle.

"Hey, Dar, do you want some coffee or something?" Soda asked, pacing.

"Sure, little buddy, sure," he replied, knowing that his kid brother needed something to do or he would break.

"I don't understand, Darry. Mom and Dad were the … the..." Ponyboy sobbed.

"I know, I know."

"Here, Darry. Oh, come on, Pony. It will be okay." Sodapop smiled.

"I just don't understand."

"The Curtis family? Darrel Curtis? I should have guessed it was you," the doctor said. "You look like you father did."

"Did?"

"Mr. Curtis," he said, pulling Darry over to the side, "I am so sorry, but your parents have passed. The other car hit them head on. The impact was very hard. I am very sorry."

"How am I going to tell them?" Darry asked. "Ponyboy is only thirteen. He's just a kid."

"Break it to them gently. All of you are way too young for this. Stick together. That will help."

"Thanks, doc." He turned to address his brother. "Pony, Soda, let's go home."

Nobody spoke the whole way home. Only the radio was playing softly. It was snowing, and they were all tired. Tears were falling from Ponyboy's eyes, but his face held no expression. They stayed in the car when Darry pulled up to the house.

"You guys go in and go to bed," Darry said, gripping the steering wheel. "We'll talk about this in the morning."

They got out and carefully walked up to the house. Darry sat there, not moving. When he saw the front door close, he took down his wall and let the tears fall. He rested his aching head in the wheel, and slammed his fist into the dashboard.

"I should have stayed home and not let them go," Darry said to himself. "They would have listened, but no. I had to be stupid."

When he sat up and wiped the tears, he remembered the tassel. The tassel that he had gotten from graduation. The one that showed that he had a future. He could do anything. Darry took it down in frustration. His future was over. His family was broken. There was nothing he could do. He walked into his house and threw the tassel away. What would he need it for now?

**thank you for reading.**


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